Subject: POLITICO Huddle, Presented by UNITE HERE: DEMS TO THE RESCUE ON TRADE? – Obama hits Hill baseball game – GRAHAM TALKS BACHELORHOOD – As Kirk talks ‘bro with no ho’ – MORE ON OPM HACK – Flake and ‘Jurassic Pork’
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2015 06:06:54 -0600

By Seung Min Kim (
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked]  or @seungminkim)

WILL DEMS RESCUE OBAMA ON TRADE? POLITICO's Jake Sherman, John Bresnahan and Lauren French preview the biggest cliffhanger vote in recent memory: "Less than 24 hours before one of the most consequential votes of President Barack Obama's second term - whether to give him fast-track trade powers to clinch a sprawling Pacific Rim trade deal - Democrats and Republicans have no idea whether the votes are there to pass it."

--"What they do know is that pockets of opposition from every corner of the House of Representatives has thrown the package into serious jeopardy. Liberals fear they're getting taken for a ride by a White House that doesn't care about their interests. Conservatives don't want to give a blank check to Obama, and vehemently oppose a must-pass job-training program. Labor unions have ginned up opposition on the left." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811dff7e22fdb85da454b687b7a40fd5a782c04e5902ef3809d1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811dff7e22fdb85da454b687b7a40fd5a782c04e5902ef3809d1 

--It's now trade adjustment assistance that's emerged as the major point of contention: "House Republicans privately say they could produce 100 to 120 yes votes for TAA, but sources say breaking that threshold would be nearly impossible ... [T]he real problem is among Democrats. Pelosi's close ally, Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, Rep. Sandy Levin of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, and major labor unions are whipping up opposition to the bill. DeLauro has persuaded around half of the 188 Democrats to commit to a no vote, Democratic sources said. Aides fear that Pelosi's silence could embolden the opposition."

--"Estimating Democratic support for TAA is difficult at this point because leadership has not whipped the issue. One Capitol Hill Democratic insider speculated there may be only 40 to 60 Democrats who are currently prepared to back the measure, though Obama, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and other top administration officials were lobbying members frantically on Thursday night." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d5fc286567c2e0e89e25b5b9c1485759c1ec66a7376863bd1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d5fc286567c2e0e89e25b5b9c1485759c1ec66a7376863bd1 

--An Obama administration official notes that if TAA is killed, about 100,000 workers per year who would have access to the assistance program would lose it-and it would end the longest TAA reauthorization since 2002.

--But Democracy for America will level this threat against Democrats today, from chair Jim Dean: 'If you vote for either Medicare-cutting Trade Adjustment Assistance legislation or Fast Track Authority for the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership, we will not lift a finger or raise a penny to protect you when you&#39;re attacked in 2016, we will encourage our progressive allies to join us in leaving you to rot, and we will actively search for opportunities to primary you with a real Democrat."

--The Wall Street Journal notes that few Democrats have changed their views on trade since 2002: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d410dc4e5464362cf2c1ff1f407faaa60b3b24d34959382c8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d410dc4e5464362cf2c1ff1f407faaa60b3b24d34959382c8 

TAKE OBAMA OUT TO THE BALL GAME - Juliet Eilperin and Paul Kane for WaPo on Obama taking his charm offensive to Nats Park: "Obama, who is facing what is perhaps the most important vote of his second term as the House weighs whether to grant him trade promotion authority Friday, visited both parties' dugouts during the course of an inning. The president is particularly wooing Democrats, who are largely opposed to the measure: he first visited with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and the Democrats' team manager Rep. Dan Kildee (Mich.)."

--"As he approached onlookers, the president asked them, 'Are we having fun yet?' After mingling for half an inning with Democrats, Obama went over to the Republican dugout to chat with lawmakers, where the trade bill enjoys considerable support. He shook hands with anyone who offered a hand. Even Republican fans -- largely staff and lawmakers who aren&#39;t playing -- cheered and chanted 'TPA' - the acronym for the trade measure. Democratic fans chanted 'O-BAM-A.'" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811db205f391b7fff41cf68b6af1a17e870f81e729167a8b0438 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811db205f391b7fff41cf68b6af1a17e870f81e729167a8b0438 

@Teddy26Nats: Great having @BarackObama join the 5 of us who served as Presidents before Twitter & the @POTUS account! 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d1f3ee9ec2f4b888ab93b21b5ec6f1d0f2f6d8a0d9444c6ac 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d1f3ee9ec2f4b888ab93b21b5ec6f1d0f2f6d8a0d9444c6ac 

--Here is a photo of Obama holding the game trophy, although the best part of the photo is Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas): 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d2960799ef153b2794752365c9d43dfb8df039c6c96c2fb46 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4dd5dcc803db811d2960799ef153b2794752365c9d43dfb8df039c6c96c2fb46 

--Oh yes, the actual game! Democrats won the 54th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game, 5-2.

GRAHAM TALKS BACHELORHOOD - The longshot GOP presidential contender - whose never-been-married status has spurred tons of headlines and "rotating first lady" jokes this week - chats with POLITICO's Manu Raju on his singledom: "Sen. Lindsey Graham says he's not 'defective' because he's single. While he's 'been close once' to marrying a woman, he's unsure why he never did so. And he said that if voters want a John F. Kennedy-esque clan in the White House, they should look elsewhere. 'If you are looking for Camelot, I'm not your guy,' Graham said in an interview."

--"Since entering the race for the GOP nomination last week, the 59-year-old Graham has received his share of media coverage over his status as a bachelor, a rarity for a president ... [Graham says:] "I don't think there's anything in the Constitution that says single people need not apply for president. And if it bothers some people, then they won't vote for me. I offer what I offer.'"

--"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Graham's best friend in the Senate, offered this assessment: 'I know he's dated some attractive women from time to time, but I've never seen him get real serious.' McCain added with a big laugh: 'I've often told Lindsey that he couldn't find anybody that loves him as much as he does.'" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb2776c0364ffdbf703b753761ded10c7a27e46aa91a78b42d54a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb2776c0364ffdbf703b753761ded10c7a27e46aa91a78b42d54a 

--Where were you when "bro with no ho" officially entered the political lexicon? Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) was caught in an unfortunate hot mic moment Thursday, and HuffPo has the audio: "The assessment of Graham's love life was made during a Senate Appropriations Committee markup on Thursday and caught on a live microphone ... 'I've been joking with Lindsey,' Kirk can be heard saying. 'Did you see that? He's going to have a rotating first lady. He's a bro with no ho.'" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277b4ef605bcbd3d867b63f26708f6245d8c4a4d3842f19d346 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277b4ef605bcbd3d867b63f26708f6245d8c4a4d3842f19d346 

--Aides to Kirk say he was "joking around with his colleagues." And the senator tells my colleague Burgess Everett that he regretted the comment but declines to elaborate further: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277a03b6195e1e0934a2f506bd13301f12ca3695514d3a1a14a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277a03b6195e1e0934a2f506bd13301f12ca3695514d3a1a14a 

** A message from UNITE HERE: ALL-AMERICAN RIGHTS FOR ALL AMERICANS: Tribal Sovereignty does not mean that Americans working for Native Americans lose their U.S. rights to "full freedom of association" and "self-organization" without "discrimination." The United States Senate shouldn't take away American Rights from Americans. Vote "No" on S. 248. Visit 
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HAPPY FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 and welcome to The Huddle, where we are helpfully pointing out to GQ magazine that the House is not the same thing as the Senate, with one having more members than the other (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb27762b8f8b90b042a6023a844c5022db765b1c68129af38e32a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb27762b8f8b90b042a6023a844c5022db765b1c68129af38e32a ). Reach me at 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked]  and please follow me on Twitter at @seungminkim. Lauren French is taking over next week; she's at 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked]  and @laurennfrench.

More on the seersucker end, check out POLITICO's superb photo gallery of Capitol Hill's National Seersucker Day through the years: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277aa55072a8dace406aa250876598780d234fd505eafa07cc1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277aa55072a8dace406aa250876598780d234fd505eafa07cc1 

My new followers include @PBNubay and @brianschatz.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House is in at 9 a.m. and it's all about trade. Votes begin 11:20 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.. The Senate is - no surprise - out until Monday.

AROUND THE HILL - Reporters crammed into the gallery in the House chamber, counting up every last vote on trade.

ABC: OPM HACK UNDETECTED FOR YEAR - ABC News' Mike Levine: "The massive hack into federal systems announced last week was far deeper and potentially more problematic than publicly acknowledged, with hackers believed to be from China moving through government databases undetected for more than a year, sources briefed on the matter told ABC News. 'If [only] they knew the full extent of it,' one U.S. official said about those affected by the intrusion into the Office of Personnel Management&#39;s information systems."

--"It all started with an initial intrusion into OPM&#39;s systems more than a year ago, and after gaining that initial access the hackers were able to work their way through four different 'segments' of OPM&#39;s systems, according to sources." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277808e67575515778f500d06a690913513d9e114ac618d4334 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277808e67575515778f500d06a690913513d9e114ac618d4334 

--Senate Dems, aided by a trio of libertarian-minded Republicans, blocked consideration of a cybersecurity measure in tandem with the defense authorization bill. Seven Democrats voted to advance it. National Journal: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb27748382a46a785e5370c82e4a53a4910bde6b52680514d0e8b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb27748382a46a785e5370c82e4a53a4910bde6b52680514d0e8b 

--Four senators missed the vote, including two GOP presidential contenders: Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida.

HOYER LAUNCHES 'WHIP WATCH' - The second-ranking House Dem goes high-tech with a new app that tracks House actions and happenings: Yahoo News: "In a world where we'll soon be able to order a pie by tweeting an emoji at Pizza Hut, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer saw a problem. Some of the most basic necessities could be summoned with a few taps on a smartphone, but the details of the government's daily activity were buried in PDF calendars and email listservs. So the 75-year-old Maryland representative, who 'loves' his iPhone, uses its weather and map apps and 'Googles things throughout the day,' commissioned an app."

--"Named Whip Watch, the iOS app premiere[d] [Thursday] and generates push notifications for new jobs, calendar updates and votes cast on the House floor. Free to the public, it informs you in real time what segments of a bill are up for discussion and how many people have voted for it. It also displays transcribed speeches from representatives and allows you to share them directly on social media. At its essence, it's a tool to track exactly what the House is up to at any time of the day." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277c2d1c4eb8b399802f42bdc04d850e4b2a64597d9c952ebf9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb277c2d1c4eb8b399802f42bdc04d850e4b2a64597d9c952ebf9 

--The video promoting "Whip Watch" is here, and we think Hoyer could have a future as a salesman if this whole Congress thing doesn't work out: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb2772ccd34cc029b92bcc6c114506dd4908dcd3673eb3ae772c7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=14760cd22eccb2772ccd34cc029b92bcc6c114506dd4908dcd3673eb3ae772c7 

SENATE DEMS BLOCKING OBAMA VA PICK - The AP's Hope Yen: "Three Democratic senators are holding up a confirmation vote on President Barack Obama&#39;s nominee for Veterans Affairs&#39; top health post, citing the department&#39;s delay in extending disability benefits to Air Force reservists possibly exposed to Agent Orange."

--"Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Oregon&#39;s two senators, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, said Thursday they will block a vote on Dr. David Shulkin&#39;s nomination in the full Senate until the Department of Veterans Affairs provides a fuller update on its efforts to help roughly 1,500 to 2,100 reservists who served from 1972 to 1982 at military bases in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2c073878da4bcb36a20b76d989e9939b5a896d0b2c5f4ab2d8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2c073878da4bcb36a20b76d989e9939b5a896d0b2c5f4ab2d8 

HOUSE REJECTS AUMF PUSH - Reuters' Patricia Zengerle: "The House voted 231 to 196 to defeat the amendment sponsored by Representative Adam Schiff ... [which] would have required Congress to debate and vote on a new authorization by March 31, 2016, prohibiting funds in next year&#39;s defense appropriations bill to be used for the campaign of air strikes against Islamic State until Congress passed an authorization." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2cc7cfaccd2a9c9ad4746b5120ef39eb4eff1ff855572eb20f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2cc7cfaccd2a9c9ad4746b5120ef39eb4eff1ff855572eb20f 

--Bloomberg's Dave Weigel reports on how Rand Paul is co-sponsoring an amendment from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to the NDAA that would ban money for ground troops in the fight against the Islamic State: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2c5f601491df3cd4a3780207d0940ee956721ad3ade3e3a3cf 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2c5f601491df3cd4a3780207d0940ee956721ad3ade3e3a3cf 

'JURASSIC PORK' SERVED UP WITH A SIDE OF PORK - Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) takes his hatred of pork (the spending, not the meat) to a new level with a pretty great PR stunt: A report outlining pork-barrel spending that persists despite the 2011 earmark ban, and a tour through the Senate Daily Press Gallery offering up pork sandwiches to reporters (paid for by campaign funds, per aides): The Washington Free Beacon has more on the report: "Though Flake makes numerous comparisons to dinosaurs in the report, none come as close to Congress's funding of 'Dino-buses.' The 'VelociRFTA,' a Bus Rapid Transit system in Colorado first received an $810,000 earmark in fiscal year 2010, prior to the ban.
 Nevertheless, the Department of Transportation (DOT) continued funding though its 'New Starts' program, receiving $36 million in federal assistance since." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2c43d5dd4d85fe0aea296d77db0a0c10c28abb0121b155522a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=080e22314f9eff2c43d5dd4d85fe0aea296d77db0a0c10c28abb0121b155522a 

--Huddle admits to eating one of Flake's sandwiches. It was delicious.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - The National Defense Authorization Act began its current streak of becoming law each year in fiscal 1961. We'll give credit to Shelby Boxenbaum and Greg Lemon for being winners on this one.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Shelby has today's question: Who was the first member of Congress to serve at the local, state, and federal level in the same year? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. E-mail 
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[email-masked] .

GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says 'Sign Up.' 
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** A message from UNITE HERE: ALL-AMERICAN RIGHTS FOR ALL AMERICANS: Tribal Sovereignty does not mean that Americans working for Native Americans lose their U.S. rights to "full freedom of association" and "self-organization" without "discrimination." The United States Senate shouldn't take away American Rights from Americans. Vote "No" on S. 248. Visit 
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